Don't bring back more than you bargained for!

That's the message from Hertsmere's Environmental Health Officers to people who are planning their summer holidays.

To coincide with National Food Safety Week lEnvironmental Health Officers in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire are joining together to warn people of the risks they take if they bring back certain foods from abroad.

With increased global travel this issue is growing in importance. Illegal imports of food products threaten public health, livestock, agriculture and horticultural industries.

What you can bring into the UK depends on where you have travelled from, with different rules existing for travel inside and outside the EU.

For travellers returning to the UK from outside the EU it is generally illegal to bring in any meat, meat products, milk and milk-based products. There are also limits on bringing back other foods such as fish, shellfish, potatoes, eggs, egg products and honey.

The rules for bringing in food from within the EU are simpler and a reasonable amount of food for your own personal use can be brought back, although it is always sensible to check before you travel.

Detailed advice on what travellers can bring into the UK is now available at food.gov.uk  and defra.gov.uk .

Food Safety Week

Food safety week will takes this week.  It is an annual promotional event run in conjunction with the Food Standards Agency to highlight the importance of food safety and the principles of good hygiene. 

A competition for infants will be run alongside food safety week.

For further information contact the environmental health commercial team on 020 8207 7435.